Method of preparing films for reproduction in colors



Patented l2, 19.35

UNITEDLSTATES APmlaizr OFFICE Aanzi-),564

METHOD OFPREPARINGl FILMS FOB,

REPRODUCTION IN COLORS Gabriel Garca Moreno, Los Angeles, Calif., as-

signor, by direct and mesne assignments, to C MC Corporation, New York, N. Y., a corpora.-

tion of Delaware Application January 22, 1934, Serial No. 707,651 4 claims- (Cl. s8-16.4)-

m. substantially complementary colors are separate-.-

' ly recorded, have beenproduced heretofore, the methods of producing such .films have entailed the use of special cameras, printers, and the like. The present method is distinguishable from the prior processes in that thestandard cameras may be used without 'any alteration whatsoever. The

printing operation.to which the resulting negatives are subjected is greatly facilitated in acccrdance with this invention by the use of a mat film, more specifically4 described hereinafter:

which permits and insures the printing of desired, similarequivalent or isomorphous images i (such images being of`diiferent color value) in proper relation to one another. Such printing operations, furthermore, may be carried out in any desired manner on existing printing devices,

Whether they be continuous, intermittent, of the contact type, or optical projection type.

Generally stated, the invention contemplates the use of two negative films with their emulsion l sides in substantial contact, one of said films being preferentially sensitive to red or red-orange, whereas the .other is preferentially sensitive to vblue-green or green. The se two emulsions may l be generally referred to as the panchromatic and orthochromatic types, respectively.

By the use of these two films in such relation in a standard camera, two isomorphous images are simultaneously recorded on both films so that images identical in form but diifering in color value are obtained. The images recorded on orthochromatic film (which is preferably positioned in front, closer to the object being photographed) are suitable for use not only as a source of images 'bearing the green tones, but also as a source for standard monochromatic vpositive prints. v

Afterthe two negative lms lhavel been developed, every other pair` of-isomorphous imframes substantially opaque, is used, thereby posij tively linsuring the printing of the desired images.

. lI l'he finished positive lm bears'pairs of isomorpheus images, one of the images depicting the blue-green values and the other the red-orange. Consecutive pairs on the nished positive represent alternate images non the original negative films, thereby distinguishing from previous addi- 5 tive films.v The resulting positive lm, furthermore, is equal in length to the length ofeither one of the original negative films so that during projection, the linear speed of the finished positive does not differ from the standard projection l0 speed of 24 frames per second.

An objectof this invention,.therefore, is to disclose and provide a methodof producing negatives capable of. being used either in the formation of monochromatic'gpositives orof positives l5 suitable for use in an additive color process.

Another object is to disclose and "provide a method of combining images of complementary color value from separate negatives onto a single positive, in a ready, simple and facile manner. 20

A further object of the invention is to disclose and provide a positive film suitable for use in an additive cinematographic process, such positive lm bearing images of substantially complementary color value but not exceeding the original zo negatives in length.

A lstill further object is to disclose and vprovide a. positive. filmy bearing images of substantially complementary color value for use in ladditive projection processin which the linear lm speed 30 does not exceed'the standard projection speed.

vThese and other objects, uses and advantages of this invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description ofthe preferred method of producing the negatives and the finished positive film.

In describing the invention, referencey will be had to the appended drawing, in which tive lm suitable for use in an additive projection process.

vAs shown in Fig. l, the camera is loaded with two negative lms having their emulsions in 66 v tially sensitive to green color values.

substantial contact. Assuming that the light from the camera lens .comes from the right, as indicated by the arrow, the front negative I0 may be of the orthochromatic type or preferen- The emulsion is indicated at II. The rear negative I2 carrying an emulsion indicated at I3 may be of the panchromatie type and preferably what is known as the gray-backed panchromatic nlm. Such emulsion I3 is preferably sensitive to red color values. The two negatives are exposed to the scenes or objects which it is desired to photograph in a standard camera and in a normal manner. The linear speed of the films passing through the camera is maintained normal,` that is, about 24 frames per second. After exposure, the two nlms arev preferably separately developed and nxed, resulting in negatives Ill and I 2' indicated in Figs. 2 and 3 respectively. t

The negative I' will bear a sequence of images I, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, etc.` The negative I2' will .bear an isomorphous series of images I', 2', 3', 4', 5', 6, etc. The only difference between images I and I' will be that more of the green tones have been recorded on image I, whereas the orange-red colors have been more forcibly recorded in the image I'.

A matting nlm, indicated/in Fig. 4, is then prepared. This matting nlm I4 has alternate frames thoroughly exposed so as to be substantially opaque. Opaque picture areasare indicated at I and, II; substantially transparent picture areas are indicated at I6 and I8.

When it is desired to release'an ordinary black and white positive print, the negative I0' is printed in the usual manner upon positive nlm. By proper regulation of printing light, a positive capable of being projected in theusual manner .l to form a substantially normal effect of black and single positive nlm in juxtaposition. In order to carry out this printing operation with facility, the negative I0 is placed upon a, positive I 9, with the emulsion away from nlm I9 as shown in Fig. 5,

and the matting nlm I4 is placed between the negative I0' and the printing light indicated by Athe arrow in Fig. 5. The opaque portions I5 and I I are graphically shown in Fig. 5. These opaque portions I 5 and I1 are placed in registration with the picture areas carried by the negative nlm III' so that, for example, the opaque portion I5 covers picture area I, opaque portion I1 covers picture area 3, etc. As a result, duringv the printing 5operation illustrated in Fig. 5, only alternate images carried by the nlm I 0' will be printed upon the positive I9 through the transparent por` tions I6, I6, etc. As a result, the positive nlm I9 will bear images 2, 4, 6, etc. but will not have the images I, 3, 5, etc., recorded thereon. At the completion of this printing operation, the

negative III' isremoved and the negative I2' substituted therefor. During this second printing operation, the emulsion of the negative I 2' is placed in substantial contact with the emulsion of the positive I9 so as to position right and left portions of images in the same manner as the images printed from III. Themat nlm I4 is v again placed between the negative I2' and the printing light, the opaque portions .I5 again covering the odd images I', 3', etc., carried by the negative I2. During this second printing operation, however, the image 2 is placed adjacent 5 the latent image 2 formerly printed upon the positive I9. In other words, the transparent portion I6 of the mat nlm is immediately above the image 2' and a previously unexposed portion of the positive I9 is immediately beneath the image 10 2' carried by the nlm I2'. During this second printing operation, the opaque portion I5 covers the previously printed/image 2 impressed upon the positive I9.

At the termination of this second printing operation, the final positive nlm indicated at I9' in Fig. 6, bears images 2, 2', 4, 4', 6, 6', etc., the pairs of isomorphous images 2 and 2' being in juxtaposition upon the nlm I9.

It is apparent that the finished positive nlm I9 will be of substantially the same length as each of the negatives IIIA and I2'. It will bear a record of the action recorded upon the negatives. Adjacent frames of the positive nlm I9' will consist of isomorphous images from the negatives I0' and I2', one of such images particularly depicting the green color values and the other the red color values.

The positive film I9' thus obtained is then preferably pro-jected by the use of suitable color nlters, a pair of images such as the images 4 and 4' being projected simultaneously upon the screen. During such projection, the positive nlm I9' advances longitudinally at the normal speed, i. e., 24 frames per second, but such longitudinal 35 advance is attained by intermittently moving the nlm' longitudinally a distance of 2 frames at a time (instead of 1 frame as is customary), each pair of isomorphous images being held stationary for two projection periods. 40

- Co-pending application Serial No. 706,839 filed January 16, 1934, desoribesan improved form of apparatus which may be employed in attaining such modined intermittent motion with minimum mechanical changes to the standard projection apparatus.

Attention is called to the fact, that during photography and printing, the operations are carried out in the normal manner and with the usual equipment. lThe use of the mat nlm I4 50' described hereinabove, positively and automatically insures the selection of the required negative images for printing purposes, thereby obviating error.

Although reference has been made heein- Vabove to the use of orthochromatic and panchromatic film, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited thereto but instead contemplates the use of any two nlms or emulsions preferentially sensitive to complementary colors. 60 If desired, a suitable color filter or dye may be carried between the two emulsions of the two negative nlms for the purpose of .insuring the recordation of a complementary color by the rear nlm. In the event the opaque nlm receives and 66 retains an image Kof` lighter density than the image'recorded upon emulsion II of the front nlm I0, the difference in density may be readily corrected by adjusting the printing light during the separate printing operations, so that adja- 70 cent images on thevresulting positive I9' are of substantially equal density.

In addition to the points of novelty and 'ad- 'vantages specincally referred to hereinabove,

those skilled in the art will be cognizant 'of additional uses, advantages and benefits. Although a particular sequence -of operations has been described in considerable detail, modications and changes can be made and all such changes and modications as come within the scope of the.

appended claims are embraced thereby.

I claim: 1. Amethod of producing films for additive color process which comprises photographically recording two consecutive series of images on two strips of iilmf pairs of images being recorded simultaneously one on each film, said films hav- 4ing their photographic emulsions in substantial contact, one of said emulsions being preferentially 'sensitive to green and the other preferentially sensitive to red, developing the two lms separately, and then printing every other pair of isomorphous images from both fllms upon single positive film in juxtaposition. 2. A method of producing films for additiv color process which comprises photographically recording two consecutive series of images on two strips of lm, pairs of images being recorded simultaneously one on each film, said lms having their photographic emulsions in substantial contact, one of said emulsions being preferentially sensitive to green and the other preferentially sensitive to red, developing the two lms ing isomorphous alternate images from the other negative film into the spaces on said positive so `as to have the isomorphous images in adjacent relation.

3. A method of producing lms for additive color process which comprises photographically recording two consecutive series of images on two strips of lm, pairs of images being recorded simultaneously one on each lm, said films having their photographic emulsions in substantial 5 contact, one of said emulsions being preferen- Ktially sensitive to green and the other preferentially sensitive to red, developing thestwo lms separately, and then printing every other pair of isomorphous images from both films upon a. l0'

film between the same positive and a masking K film having alternate frames substantially opaque, and then printing images isomorphous to those printed from the iirst negative into the 20 unexposed spaces on the positive lm. n

4. A method of producing lms for additive color process which comprises photographically recording two consecutive series of images on two strips ,of film, pairs of images being recorded 25 simultaneously, one on each film, said iilms having their photographic emulsions in substantial contact, one of said emulsions being preferentially sensitive to green and the other preferentially sensitive to red, developing the two films, 30 and then printing every other vpairof isomorphous images from both films upon ya 'single positive lm in juxtaposition, the emulsion surface of one of said negative films facing the positive during printing whereas the emulsion of the 35 vother negative film faces away.l from the positive during printing.

GABRIEL GARCA MORENO. 

